Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and data processing method thereof

Abstract

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an ultrasonic probe for transmitting an ultrasonic beam to an examinee and receiving a reflection echo signal from the examinee, a beam forming unit for supplying the ultrasonic probe with a signal for making the ultrasonic probe transmit an ultrasonic beam, and a data converter for digitalizing the reflection echo signal to obtain echo data, and converting the echo data to ultrasonic image data including a setting unit that sets measurement mode data of the ultrasonic image data in the echo data, and a controller that creates a data set while appending the measurement mode data and the echo data, transferring the data set to the data converter, makes the data converter analyze the measurement mode data in the data set, and controls the data converter so that echo data in the data set are converted to ultrasonic image data on the basis of the analyzed measurement mode data.

1 . An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having an ultrasonic probe for transmitting an ultrasonic beam to an examinee and receiving a reflection echo signal from the examinee, a beam forming unit for supplying the ultrasonic probe with a signal for making the ultrasonic probe transmit an ultrasonic beam, and a data converter for digitalizing the reflection echo signal to obtain echo data, and converting the echo data to ultrasonic image data, comprising:
 a setting unit that sets measurement mode data of the ultrasonic image data in the echo data; and   a controller that creates a data set while appending the measurement mode data to the echo data, transferring the data set to the data converter, makes the data converter analyze the measurement mode data in the data set, and controls the data converter so that echo data in the data set are converted to ultrasonic image data on the basis of the analyzed measurement mode data.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller generates, as the data set, packet data containing divisional data obtained by dividing the echo data into a plurality of parts and the measurement mode data. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller further adds the packet data with measurement time information at which the echo data is obtained, and the data converter restores the echo data from the packet data by using the measurement time information. 
     
     
         4 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data converter comprises a plurality of processor units, and the controller assigns at least one of the processor units to operate ultrasonic image data of the measurement mode, and controls the assigned processor unit to perform conversion from the echo data to ultrasonic image data. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein when the controller operates the ultrasonic image data of the measurement mode by using a plurality of stages of assigned processor units, the controller controls the assigned processor units so as to perform pipeline processing on the plurality of stages of processor units. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein when the controller makes the plurality of processor units advance a plurality of measurement modes, in order to distribute a data set of each individual measurement mode to any processor unit which is made to perform the plurality of measurement modes, the controller assigns a processor unit different from the any processor unit, and controls the processor unit different from the any processor unit and the any processor unit. 
     
     
         7 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein when the controller makes the plurality of processor units advance a plurality of measurement modes, any processor unit which is made to perform the plurality of measurement modes is made to identify a data set of each individual measurement mode by the controller. 
     
     
         8 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller controls an adjustment between a frame measurement mode of shifting an image on a frame basis out of the plurality of measurement modes and a survey measurement mode of shifting an image on a line basis out of the plurality of measurement modes. 
     
     
         9 . The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller further adds the data set with error data under data transfer or measurement, makes the data converter analyze the error data in the data set, and controls the data converter to stop the conversion from the echo data in the data set to the ultrasonic image data on the basis of the analyzed error data. 
     
     
         10 . A data processing method for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for transmitting an ultrasonic beam to an examinee and receiving a reflection echo signal from the examinee by an ultrasonic probe, supplying the ultrasonic probe with a signal for making the ultrasonic probe transmit an ultrasonic beam by a beam forming unit, and digitalizing the reflection echo signal to-obtain echo data and converting the echo data to ultrasonic image data by a data converter, further comprising:
 setting measurement mode data of the ultrasonic image data in the echo data by a setting unit; and   generating a data set while appending the measurement mode data and the echo data, transferring the data set to the data converter, making the data converter analyze measurement mode data in the data set, and controlling the data converter so as to convert echo data in the data set to ultrasonic image data on the basis of the analyzed measurement mode data by a controller.   
     
     
         11 . The data processing method for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller generates, as the data set, packet data containing divisional data obtained by dividing the echo data into a plurality of parts and the measurement mode data. 
     
     
         12 . The data processing method for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller further adds the packet data with measurement time information at which the echo data is obtained, and the data converter restores the echo data from the packet data by using the measurement time information. 
     
     
         13 . The data processing method for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the data converter comprises a plurality of processor units, and the controller assigns at least one of the processor units to operate ultrasonic image data of the measurement mode, and controls the assigned processor unit to perform conversion from the echo data to ultrasonic image data. 
     
     
         14 . The data processing method for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller further adds the data set with error data under data transfer or measurement, makes the data converter analyze the error data in the data set, and controls the data converter to stop the conversion from the echo data in the data set to the ultrasonic image data on the basis of the analyzed error data.